Barnes & Noble puts the focus on science

While its book sales continue to stagnate, US-based bookseller Barnes & Noble is delving deeper into toy sales with the roll out of a brand-new Educational Toys & Games Center in select stores nationwide and online.

While its book sales continue to stagnate, US-based bookseller Barnes & Noble is delving deeper into toy sales with the roll out of a brand-new Educational Toys & Games Center in select stores nationwide and online.

After experiencing a 20% bump in toy sales in its second quarter this year, the retailer, which operates 658 bookstores in 50 states, openly declared its strategy to push further into the toy category and offer products not readily available at larger toy sellers.

To that end, the new centers feature products targeted at kids five to 13 and include items like circuitry and solar power kits, chemistry labs, candy chemistry kits and dinosaur digs from educationally-focused toycos including Thames & Kosmos, Educational Insights, Scientific Explorer and Elenco. According to the retailer, the goal is to promote the development of scientific thinking among US kids.